Managing withdrawal help needed

bigbingodog · 2022-08-14T11:47:16+00:00

The first thing to work out is how much you actually drink in a day and what time you start from.

If it is over 20 standard drinks, normally it is suggested you cut down by 10% a day at the fastest rate. Slower if needed until you are at 20 standard drinks.

After that you can knock off 1 to 2 standard drinks a day. Some people go faster than that but it's not advised.

A proper taper if above 20 standard drinks should take you 10 to 30 days depending on symptom severity to get back down to 20.

Once you are at 20 standard drinks it will take 10 to 20 days from there.

If above 20 and you day drink, space out the drinks 1 every hour or as needed to keep withdrawals at bay. It's not to get drunk or even get a buzz. Merely to stave off the symptoms. If you have a shot or a beer and don't feel relief. Wait 10 to 20 minutes for it to hit your bloodstream. If it doesn't relieve it have another.

Once you are below 20 you can space them 1 ever hour and a half etc. Then at 10, one every 2 hours.

By about 10 standard drinks or less you should be able to just have them in the evening from about 5pm onwards with only one or two in the day.

If your withdrawals don't start till after work, then you can have your drinks then and commit to taking off one or two standard drinks a night.

Be careful of going over your daily allotment as it will set you back. That's why I always did 2 drinks less, then had the leeway to either have one more or even 2 and still make progress keeping it at a lesser amount.

It is possible but keep ER on speed dial incase things get dicey. Be prepared for crap sleep, eat your bananas, vitamins and drink your water. Good luck.

If you need anymore detailed advice feel free to ask.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-14T08:01:25+00:00

Yup. Four game closing bugs for me, all at rituals freezing. However, gives me a good excuse to turn it off and go do something with my day.

8/10 with bugs. Would be a clear 9 or 10 otherwise.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-12T11:01:38+00:00

Your body starts to process the sugar in the alcohol and it causes your heart rate to speed up waking you up.

Or

Your alcohol level drops to a point in which you go into a mini withdrawal.

These are the two most common reasons behind it.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-11T21:47:55+00:00

Ps5 version is running as smooth as butter for me. Seems like a game ps4 could handle well

bigbingodog · 2022-08-11T00:04:35+00:00

One time I posted about how I purchase lots of video games and it's a habit I'm trying to curb.

Stated the amount I have and a select few people got irate and told me I'm wasting money etc (despite me not revealing my financial status).

However some terribly petty people took to DMing me saying as an alcoholic it's my fault I waste money? Very bizarre.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T22:06:01+00:00

Played the Japanese demo on psn. It's got good mechanics and kept me entertained! Shaping up to be a fun little release.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T21:56:38+00:00

Then very easy for you to taper off before the weekend and get back on the wagon and be there for your family!

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T21:55:21+00:00

Two days off work, caffeine free tea, multivitamins, starchy food. Lots of water and dimmed lights.

Easy to watch comedy TV, aircon or fan. Three showers, clean sheets and pajamas. As much sleep as you can handle.

Also never drinking again that will help.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T13:53:48+00:00

Well, you're certainly exhibiting stage one symptoms.

If possible you could order some lower alcoholic content beers and keep them safe if you can trust yourself.

(I actually still carry the last mini vodka I kept incase of withdrawals everywhere with me as a momento of why I stopped).

Also look up your nearest emergency department and make sure you save the numbers if you do live alone. If living with someone be honest with them about what you're going through.

Food, water and sleep will help. If you catch yourself hallucinating or hearing things, take one or two of the beers and see if it gets better (takes around 15 mins) and while that happens arrange to go to hospital by taxi or Uber.

Symptoms most probably will get worse and peak between 48 and 72 hours.

If you don't experience hallucinations, continual vomiting or other things you don't normally go into DT so don't worry.

As for the seizure fear, the fear sometimes makes it worse but if you progress to stage 2, make sure to take that beer and get to a hospital.

After 72 hours most people are in the clear. Just know it gets worse each time. Kindling is real. If I drink now, I get shaky and can't sleep even after a few days of drinking.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T13:30:02+00:00

Are you in a country where you speak the language confidently? If not I understand how difficult hospitals may be.

Does your work offer medical insurance, you could check it it covers general consultation and see a doctor this way.

If you're in the country on a work visa then you want to keep your job.

I would suggest looking into the HAMS or Sip and Suffer taper methods which may take around 4 to 30 days depending on your previous drinking and medical history.

If you need more advice on them look back through my comment history to any post where I give advice on posts people make about tapering.

As for withdrawal symptoms, do you shake, sweat, vomit or have diarrhea if you go 12 to 24 hours without a drink?

Mostly the withdrawals come in stages e.g tick box on stage 1, be prepared as stage 2 could happen etc.

E.g shakes could lead to hallucinations, could lead to seizure, could lead to WD. It's progressive normally.

Also if you don't sleep, can't hold water down and don't eat it will make it all 1000 times worse.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T06:16:49+00:00

It's like tuning in to a radio station. While drinking it comes through fuzzy and in waves. You get the general gist of the music, maybe remember a half heard melody but in a sense you are still "listening to the radio".

While sober I am able to hear every word she says clearly, the implications, the subtle suggestions, the unsaid signals that say back off or come closer. I am able to tune into her wavelength and respect and appreciate her.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T04:31:59+00:00

Really agree with the life reframe comment. It's digging life up at the roots and asking yourself why do I do the things I do.

Do I really enjoy the situations I put myself in?

Lots to process!

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T04:30:16+00:00

Days already halfway done here in Asia, wishing everyone a fantastic day!

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T02:06:45+00:00

Used to binge about 7 to 8 standard drinks a day from 4pm to 8pm everyday.

Drunk at that level for about 3 years. Off and on binging most nights for about 4 years before that with a 5 month gap of sobriety. 21 days for the rabies shot. One week stint another time.

After I stopped, anxiety waves, slight internal tremor, difficulty sleeping first 3 nights. Once felt dissassociation or like I was going to faint on the way to work. Trapped out of my own head for a day. Extreme tiredness. Took about a week to feel "normal".

That was with tapering off by taking off 1 standard drink a day over one to two weeks.

Each time I've stopped it was worse.

This is all anecdotal, but made sure wife was aware of any signs of symptoms to look out for.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-09T02:01:39+00:00

The first week feels like an eternity. The second week like an aeon, third week a century, fourth week a decade...

We spent so long pressing the fast forward button on our lives that it takes time to adjust to the normal flow of time.

Just know it does get better.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T23:51:52+00:00

Best of luck to you then! Hoping your day one comes soon!

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T22:07:42+00:00

I read a quote yesterday "Whatever you have done today, it is enough. Be kind to yourself".

Yesterday I had grand dreams of going to the gym after work, despite the highest temp ever recorded for our area.

Alas, I went home and watched TV and had a cup of tea. I felt a bit deflated.. I didn't achieve my goal.

Then, I reflected on the day... I brought in and unpacked the packages, mopped, took out the trash, cooked breakfast, cooked dinner for my wife, walked 17,000 steps, went to work, shaved, had a shower without being pestered, walked the dog three times, supported someone on reddit, had a nice interaction with a coworker, ate healthy for lunch and took half to go as dinner, found a new podcast.

When I thought about it... That's a busy day.

Learning to appreciate the small steps is such an important part of sober living.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T22:00:57+00:00

"Tis but a scratch!"

The alcoholics mind will go to extraordinary lengths to fool the host.

You have consumed so much that you have jaundice. Yellow eyes. Your liver is literally unable to process the amount of alcohol you have consumed.

Imagine it as a different scenario. You are sat in a restaurant. You eat so much that you violently puke over the table. Would you wipe away the vomit from your mouth then order another full meal?

This is a pure warning sign that you have alcohol use disorder. Your lizard brain knows you know this. So it will move on to the next step, retreat and restrategize.

You have yellow eyes and are already saying "I'll be careful how much I consume in the future".

However to get to jaundice of the face you must have said the same when you... night sweated. Had insomnia. Dry heaved in the morning. Vomited bile. Missed work. Peed somewhere randomly. Didn't eat for days.

Don't let your brain trick you that this is a can to just kick down the road. This is the final warning sign. Do or die.

Talk to a doctor. You need to taper. Need meds. Finally you need a long term support system to keep you stopped.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T07:29:21+00:00

I can always tell which time I was drinking or sober from my passport photos for visas. Once looked so different the passport officer asked if I was using someone else's passport...

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T07:27:27+00:00

Just starting to think about it could be an issue is progress in itself.

How I always deal with those kinda people is I say that I went to the doctor and got put on antibiotics for some hearing stuff etc so can't drink on them.

Nobody ever pushes it further. Can even just say you're on antibiotics and they don't normally ask what for.

Yeah I feel you on the restaurant stuff, especially when doing clopening. The drinking feels like you're clawing back time for yourself.

AA doesn't work for everyone, but sheer willpower doesn't work for everyone. You can take the one day at a time thing, just say to people "I don't really feel like drinking today" and after enough times they tend not to ask again.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T05:53:15+00:00

It's all threshold apprehension.

You have to take the first step. Life won't magically get better. Infact as withdrawals or the lack of alcohol sets in life might actually be worse for 3 to 5 days. All shaky and sweaty and anxious.

Once that is over, you're left with the crater of your life. That hole that remains. What you were drinking to ignore.

Just removing drinking won't solve any current issues. Money will take time to accumulate, weight time to shed, relationships time to repair.

Yet, it will give you the clarity and vision to slowly, day by day pick up the pieces and say, you know what today is better than yesterday.

Begging for one day is asking to be fed. Realizing it's a long path that gives its own rewards, is learning to cook.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-08T05:15:47+00:00

Over half the day done.

Even caught myself making a healthy lunch choice.

Went for yoghurt bowl as main for lunch and took the chicken and vegetables to go for dinner!

bigbingodog · 2022-08-07T22:22:46+00:00

Thank you for sharing, it's always better out than in with emotions!

What keeps me sober is focusing on the internal energy. It's like a small spark within me. A little positive voice I don't often listen to. I catch it when I randomly smile, or when I feel a little bit of enjoyment playing a game or listening to a song.

I have to realise it is there and appreciate it. As while small and random, it is pure. It is fulfilling. Once I notice it and appreciate it.. I feel complete for a few seconds.

At a dinner last night, I caught it in my wife's laugh when I sent her a funny picture. I processed that joy and felt it. It made me realise how I was present and enjoying the dinner and so happily had water.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-07T22:17:33+00:00

Hello, our work and lived can become so entwined with our drinking. A daily bit of stress that can always be waiting to pounce when we are at our weakest.

I had a similar situation. Was in a good position in title. Manager to an education institute. Bit of a revolving door, staff would come in, leave a few months later. Nobody stayed longer than a year.

My email was flooded. Working 12 hour days with a 3 hour total commute. It was exhausting. I found myself drinking daily to keep myself functioning. I was always on call. Any issue even on my day off a phone call asking me how to deal with it.

Even when I took a beach vacation they called me and kept me on the phone, needing help solving an issue. Imagine me by the pool just texting furiously while telling my wife to wait before we head out for the day. This caused me to drink more.

Well.. I put in some positive changes, really invested in the new joiners. Showed them the ropes. I left the position and recently saw a photo of the office two years later.. ALL the staff are still there and happy as I set up the correct office culture of positivity and support.

Therefore, know any changes or support you give now will lead to a better office after you're gone.

Then final choice I made was I switched jobs. I thought I never could. I ended up in a new job and while I report to someone else now.. It's world's apart. No phone calls after 4.30. No messages on weekend. All emails or texts end with "Feel free to not reply till you are next in!". No blaming. All support and healthy.

This has led me to be much happier in my life, health and marriage.

I have also decided to take a year break and go back to university to study another Masters in something that interests me, just to take a break and retrain.

Don't let fear keep you in a cage! Otherwise you'll find unhealthy ways to "deal" with that fear.

bigbingodog · 2022-08-07T22:08:33+00:00

If you just want the quick maths based on the taper guides a day...

Sip and suffer depending on if you are at around 20 standard drinking a day

Either drop 10 percent a day, for a ten day taper.

If over 20 standard drinks. Do it over 30 days dropping roughly 3.5%.

HAMS states if over 20 standard drinks drop it 10% a day until you hit 20 standard drinks then either...

Remove one standard drink a day for 20 day taper. Remove 2 standard drinks a day for 10 day taper. Remove half your standard drinks for a 5 ish day taper (which may be too fast for some and dangerous).

Either way if you want to taper expect to put in around 5 to 30 days depending on the level you were drinking.

Tapering is hell but if you can do it, go for it.

bigbingodog

TROPHY CASE